I felt sad watching The Shootist. As a fan of John Wayne, when I learned that The Shootist was Wayne's last movie I rented it interested to see what it would be like. Throughout the movie I couldn't help but think how it paralleled his own death of cancer just a few years later. You could say the movie was prophetic. When Wayne died in the The Shootist we also saw the last performance of a great actor that we'll never see the likes of again.
I also couldn't help thinking how symbolic the movie was in another way. In 1976 Westerns were on their way out. Consider just the following year the release of Star Wars which I believe marked the beginning of the public's desire for special effects-action type of movies. Beginning in the 80s westerns were no longer in vogue. The genre seemed to have died with John Wayne in 1979.
The movie itself was about the end of an era. The end of the 19th century west and a dying gunfighter.
I really wish that Wayne's last movie would have been a positive one. I think Rooster Cogburn would have been a great last film. It's my favorite of his 70s movies. However, I am glad that his last one was a western, fitting for his character and career
I also couldn't help thinking how symbolic the movie was in another way. In 1976 Westerns were on their way out. Consider just the following year the release of Star Wars which I believe marked the beginning of the public's desire for special effects-action type of movies. Beginning in the 80s westerns were no longer in vogue. The genre seemed to have died with John Wayne in 1979.
The movie itself was about the end of an era. The end of the 19th century west and a dying gunfighter.
I really wish that Wayne's last movie would have been a positive one. I think Rooster Cogburn would have been a great last film. It's my favorite of his 70s movies. However, I am glad that his last one was a western, fitting for his character and career